I was going to put a photo up of a cataract surgery but most people would get skeezed out by it, so you get the treat of seeing one of Sluggy's eyes up close and personal which hopefully doesn't skeeze anyone out nearly as much.
I've got chameleon type eyes. They changed color depending on how the light hits them. They can appear to be anywhere from green to blue green to hazel in color. Their bloodshot quality never changes however.....lol
I survived the 3 hour cataract consultation surgery marathon Monday. Well most of that was sitting in either the purple chair section, or the blue chair section or the red chair section and having to listen to bad daytime network tv which was far worse than the actual dr. exam and all those eye drops.
I have multiple options on how to proceed with this operation.
I can have the standard slicing your eyeball up with knives operation or the new laser operation.
Then I have to choose between 3 different lenses--regular lens, or one of two corrective lenses for seeing distance or correcting my astigmatism.
Decision, decisions.......
The bottom line is this............
The standard lens with the standard bladed surgery will cost nothing OOP after insurance.
The laser surgery will up the cost to $1,500 OOP after insurance.
The laser surgery with corrective lens will up it more to $2,500 OOP after insurance.
And that's for one eye.
With my eye prescription it will also mean having the right eye done a month later because the difference in prescription between the eyes after surgery will be too great for my brain to process the visual information between the eyes, so even though the right eye isn't bad yet it's gotta go too.
Lovely.....
So it's OOP, $3K or $5K OOP when all is said and done.
With my health issues I am leaning toward the laser surgery no matter which lens I choose because it is said to make the healing time less than the standard surgery. I am NOT a fast healer.
As far as I am concerned, I am quite happy that being in our financial position gives me wider options without putting stress on our income. We can afford any of these choices easily so I don't have to "settle" for the basic option if one of the other ones makes me happier.
Of course, being frugal I am having issues with spending money on upgraded procedures but that's just MY issue. ;-)
I am scheduled for surgery the end of April no matter which one I decide on.
This date has put a kybosh on my Spring travel plans however.
I had wanted to travel to LA to visit my daughter, then Hubs was going to fly home when his time off from work was over and I'd stay longer down there, then drive myself(with my new eyeball)home and be able to meander around and visit some folks who don't mind having me around. ;-)
But now, I have to be back 1 day, 1 week and 1 month from my surgery date for check-ups, meaning I can't linger in the South and need to be home by the first week in June.
This means a 2 week trip to LA and back home with Hubs.
I am hoping once I get the other eye done I can take a solo road trip again to some destination in mid to late Summer.
In happier news, I made a money transfer from the bank account to the credit card yesterday and paid off the car we put on the c/c. My balance is now $79 on the MasterCard with 2 weeks left until the statement closes.
I was in car debt for THREE DAYS! It about drove me crazy I tell y'all. But I got lots of CC points for it and it won't cost me a penny of interest. 8-)
Hubs did pay some "stupid tax" 2 weeks back on the MasterCard when he mistakenly went through a third party vendor to renew his car registration online, instead of going directly through the PA DMV site. By the time he realized what he had done it cost an additional $23 to get the car registration finished. Duh.
In other financial news.....Our credit union changed it's online banking website, putting up a new one.
As a result I hadn't been able to access our accounts online for about a week now. And no, they didn't let anyone know on the old website that they were changed the access. bleh.
So after 2 in-person attempts to get this straightened out(both Hubs and I went into the CU to get the info, then I emailed 2 times and was never responded to and then I called the branch yesterday and they never answered the phone!)I went in to the branch AGAIN! and let 'em have "what for" and told them if this EVER happens again I am taking my millions elsewhere.
I MUST HAVE online access to my accounts.
Period.
This CU has turned out to be a rinky-dink two-bit operation. They have slowly decreased their hours so that now they aren't even open to 5 except 1 day a week, they close for lunch for 1 hour in the middle of the workday because they only have 1 or 2 personnel in the branch at their busiest and now they have done away with Saturday hours. Hubs with his schedule has to take off work early to go to the CU and can't bank on weekends. They are trying to drive everyone to ATM cards and I refuse to be herded into one!
I would leave them right this minute except that we just paid for new checks so they have until these are gone to win back my love......and I don't see that happening.
We are suppose to hit 57F here tomorrow. I have threatened to get out my swimsuit and flip flops and parade about the neighborhood in them so none of you may wish to come visit me tomorrow as I am known to snap "selfies". Just be sure you aren't eating when you open up my blog post.....you have been warned! ;-)
Sluggy
You and your eyeball worry me. Your mind is something else entirely.
ReplyDeleteI would go for the one that will give you the least amount of down time. It still seems scary. You can mess with anything you want but don't touch my eyes. Scary.
I am the same way with my eyes. You should have seen my wrestling with the asst. while he "attempted" to eye drop me. lol
DeleteAnd my mind has been a lost cause for years.......
I hope things go smoothly. We have dealt with cataract and detached retina surgeries in our immediate family and both times they have gone well.
ReplyDeleteGood to hear Sandie.....
DeleteIt is a shame that the industry has found a way to get people to pay for a really easy procedure above and beyond medicare and general insurance. But I would go with the middle also and have. It is painless and you will see great, well not but that is what those dollar store cheaters are for that are all over the house.,.
ReplyDeleteI suppose there's a lot to be said for not needing glasses anymore if you have easy prescription and get the corrective lens. Not having to pay for glasses any longer would be a bonus but Hubs would still need the vision plan so we wouldn't save much anyway.
Deleteone week past cataract surgery and husbeast doesn't need his glasses! and at the end of your post...bwhahahahaha! you are such a comedienne!
ReplyDeleteThat's great for him! So did he get the corrective lens or standard lens?
DeleteThat CU does not inspire confidence in me!
ReplyDeleteI kept asking about what type surgery I could get. I got the runaround which is one of the reasons I am switching eye doctors. The surgeon left me with an assistant to answer questions, and she was in a hurry. I need to have the second eye done since I totaled my glasses last week. Why don't you wait until after your trip to get the eye done?
Going to the mailbox in a summer nightgown is as bare as it go in public. You are brave. Take pictures for those of us not able to make your parade.
I would wait but I can't drive myself home alone if I stay in LA with my eye in it's present shape, so if it doesn't get done before we leave I can't stay on anyway. I had hoped they could schedule it sooner in April but alas it was not to be.
DeleteMy daughter and I went for an oral surgery consult today. I need two wisdom teeth out and she needs 4. We scheduled both our surgeries for the same day in June. Hubby will have his hands full with the two of us all doped up. It's looking like a 2700 dollar bill for the two of us.
ReplyDeleteI had Lasik in 2001. Best decision I ever made, and the $1750 plus 2 nights in a motel in Atlanta were worth every penny! Get the best you can, vision is so important!
ReplyDeletePeace <3
Jay
You have a wonderful sense of humor - my kind of humor :)
ReplyDeleteI found out today that a micrometer was what was programmed to cut my eye. Then, my lens was removed and a silicone lens implanted. The doctor used the strength of lens to bring my eye to 20/20. No one would discuss this with me before surgery. Now, I finally know! It makes me nervous, even nine months later thinking about something put in my eye because of maybe a future reaction. My body is allergic to everything on earth, I do believe.
ReplyDeleteI need to get the second eye done!
Bankers hours, yuck. And not answering the phone is so aggravating. Best of luck to you on your surgery. :)
ReplyDeleteYou only have two eyes, do the best.
ReplyDeleteI can't remember the last time I talked to a bank teller, I use the ATM to withdraw cash (I still use cash to limit out of pocket spending during the week) and now to make deposits. It is faster, and easier. I don't use the debit card for purchases - I want and use my airline miles from credit cards that I pay in full each month.
You have a very nice eye. No doubt two. When it comes to your eyes get the best. My brother went through retinal surgery in the fall to fix a detached retina - he's still recovering and he's an ARTIST and a teacher. It's been a very difficult time but he's slowly improving.
ReplyDeleteYou and I are alike in the fact that we won't pay any more than we have to, like your husband did with the DMV. Any way I can avoid "convenience" charges AND get more points on the credit card is the way to go! It disturbs me that some companies do what they can to avoid providing an easy way to pay bills. Some services, like getting tickets to concerts and other stuff, require you to buy through the service, and everyone pays surcharges. About the cataract surgery, I don't understand why the insurance company doesn't pay for the laser surgery. It seems so old school for the surgeon to do the surgery any other way. I would be all for an easier recuperation, too. Best wishes on this surgery. Oh, the TV in the doctors offices must go away! It irritates me to the point that I ask to be put into another room to wait. It's anxiety-provoking and adds to the clutter that is in my mind. Whatever happened to people bringing something to do while in the waiting room? After all, people shouldn't be waiting THAT long! And, keep the cell phones out! Had to add that last dig! Have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteI too am thankful to hear your updates.
ReplyDeleteHey, Sluggy. I will be ahead of you on the surgery I had my eval today and my first surgery is scheduled 4/7. Yep, I need it bad. The second one is a week and a half later. Lucky me. The dr said I might not be able to see well at all between surgeries as my vision is so bad that I will have a big disparity between eyes after the first surgery. She said I can pop the lens out of my glasses, but that I may still have issues. Oh, joy. I may or may not be able to work in between. I may end up on short term disability as we can onlu use 5 days of vacation for medical then we have to go on disability.
ReplyDeleteAnd after studying and thinking about it for a year, I am having blade surgery. I have studied up on my surgeon and been told he is as accurate with a blade as most drs are with lasers. He does laser too and I could afford it, but frankly, blade surgery has been around for a long time and it a tried and true surgery. I am all for modern technology, but don't feel the need when the standard way works fine. Many eye doctors our area use the surgeon that will do my surgery.
I am ready to have it done, just hate having to take so much time off work for medical stuff.
So are you doing the corrective lens or the regular lens? I am still on fence about what to do!
ReplyDeleteI'll be thinking good thoughts for you on the 7th. I sure wish I could have mine sooner that the 30th......bleh.
Sluggy, I will be having corrective lenses, but only for distance. I will not be getting multifocal lenses. I thought about it for a year and decided this is the best option for me. I will still need to wear reading glasses, but no more prescription lenses, hopefully.
ReplyDelete